Raised by honest Kansas's farmers to have a strong moral compass, the original Superman was so squeaky-clean that fellow superheroes sneeringly dubbed him the 'big blue Boy Scout'.

The modern Clark Kent, Superman's alter ego, is still a Daily Planet journalist, albeit working in an age of hand-held devices and instant gratification.

"We wanted to show a younger Superman at the early stages of his career, struggling with his identity and his place," said DiDio.

Transforming that most clean-cut and all-American of superheroes into a moody, misunderstood urban youth is the latest example of comic book creators attempting to update classic characters for a new generation of readers. (ANI)